3:26 a.m. on July 30, 2007 (EDT)
MBrady
New Member
Joined: Oct 1, 2006
Posts: 1
Merrell Ventilators
I am stationed in Guam and I am looking to start hiking again. Terrain is pretty much jungle, rocky and is almost always wet.
I am interested in getting one of the Merrell Ventilator series and I was hoping that somebody has any experience with these boots, or that matter hiking in the jungle.
Any help is appreciated.
3:25 p.m. on August 2, 2007 (EDT)
Re: Merrell Ventilators
I just wore out a pair of Merrel Ventilators. I wore them for about 1.5 years of regular hiking and backpacking (40lbs or less). Most of that time was spent in Arizona where the terrain ranges from desert basin to 7,000 - 12,000 foot peaks. But I also used them on a 2-day 22 mile backpacking trip on the Kalalau trail in Kauai, Hawaii, which is a very strenuous jungle trail (rated 9/10 in difficulty by Sierra).
The shoes are soft so there is no break in period to speak of. But because the'yre soft, they provide minimal ankle support. The tred on the sole provides good traction on smooth rock, adequate traction on mixed rock and dirt terrain, and poor traction on steep loose terrain. They mesh uppers of the shoe do a good job at keeping your feet cool, and, as you might guess, a very poor job of keeping your feet dry in wet conditions.
In Kauai, the shoes performed well over gentle inclines, areas of rocks and roots, and stone hopping over streams. They performed poorly on the very steep downhill sections of the trail given their lack of traction. I did some unplanned river wading and found they dried out pretty quickly.
7:04 a.m. on August 3, 2007 (EDT)
Ed G
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 14, 2001
Posts: 1010
Re: Merrell Ventilators
I've hiked in the Guam jungles. Most beautiful place on earth in my opinion and still so much to discover. I love all the caves hidden away in the hillsides.
I hiked around the island in regular running shoes. Hiking boots aren't really that necessary. Find a shoe that has a sole that will be "sticky" when that red clay gets wet.
Beware of some of the mud fields - especially near the college where the tanks are...I got stuck in the mud and when I got my foot out, my shoe was left behind!
Look for WW2 artifacts. They are still laying everywhere. Four years ago, I found a rusting Japanese hand grenade on Gab Gab Beach.
12:31 p.m. on August 3, 2007 (EDT)
Fred
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 16, 2007
Posts: 169
Re: Merrell Ventilators
"Four years ago, I found a rusting Japanese hand grenade on Gab Gab Beach." - now that is the ideal keepsake!
12:56 p.m. on October 11, 2007 (EDT)
rambler
Full Member
Joined: Sep 26, 2007
Posts: 62
Re: Merrell Ventilators
I am into my second pair. I bought a 10.5, which were great for walking around town, but I had to switch to a size 11 for downhills and backpacking. My foot on the measuring device is a size 9.5 I am refering to the low cut model, not the mid-height. The Merrell Chameleon is stiffer, but more expensive. Another shoe that fits me is the Montrail Hardrock and the Montrail Vitesse. The ventilators wear down in the flex, before the sole. In other words, if you hold onto to the toe and heel of the shoe and then twist it. That motion is what prompted me to buy a new pair. I wear these shoes backpacking along the AT, the entire Long Trail of VT, and many other hikes the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Maine.
